The summer of 2023 is looming large for Liverpool, with their title-winning front three all out of contract at the end of next season, and former club captain Jamie Carragher has made his predictions for the future of the Reds' forward line.
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are all yet to agree new deals with the Merseyside club, with Salah and Mane both currently preparing for a huge Africa Cup of Nations final, while Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will also see their current deals run out in the same summer.
Liverpool's transfer business over the last two seasons suggests they are preparing for the future, with Luis Diaz joining Diogo Jota in the pile marked "attacking signings".
And Carragher, who played more than 700 times for the Reds during a one-club career, has warned his former club that "nothing lasts forever" as Jurgen Klopp's side prepare for some big decisions.
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“18 months is a long time, it really is,” Carragher told The ECHO. “I think Mo Salah is the one you want to get sorted first, possibly more so than the others (Mane and Firmino).
“You look at him and Mane now in the Africa Cup of Nations final, two of the best attackers in world football, and the service they’ve given the club. Hopefully we can get a few more years out of them.
Firmino is the only one of the attacking trio to join Liverpool before manager Klopp took over, and the Brazilian's 2015 arrival was followed by Mane moving to Anfield in 2016 and Salah joining 12 months later.
All three have played more than 150 Premier League games for the club, and they all started the 2019 Champions League final as Klopp's side beat Liverpool to lift the trophy.
However, despite emphasising the boost Liverpool could get by securing the long-term fixture of Salah in particular, he suggested at least one of their frontmen could end up moving on.
"I’m sure everyone in that dressing room now will be desperate for Mo Salah to sign a new contract as well as Sadio Mane and Bobby Firmino as well," Carragher said.
“These are legends of this club and we’ll be talking about them in 20-30 years, that’s how good they’ve been.
“But nothing lasts forever and that’s why Liverpool have done such really good business with Luis Diaz because maybe, who knows, at the end of the season or the year after one of the front three will move on. They’re at that age in football.
“But if you’re another player in that squad, you’ll be absolutely delighted if those players join the other five or six, or whatever it is, in signing new contracts and it bodes well for Liverpool’s future.”
The January addition of Diaz in a £37.5m move from Porto will further strengthen the most potent attack in the Premier League this season.
Liverpool have scored 58 times in their first 22 league games, with Salah leading the league for goals and Jota and Mane close behind, and Carragher shared his excitement about the new arrival.
“It could be a turning point but I think the signing isn't just for right now, it’ll be how good Luis Diaz does over the next five or six years," he said.
“Does he eventually break into that so-called front three if you like? Jota’s done that, can Luis Diaz be the next one to do that?"
